blueberry black and white cookies

Is it weird that I was dreaming of these cookies most of my week at the cottage?  It's not like I couldn't concentrate on enjoying the week away, but I was definitely anticipating returning home and making use of the organic blueberries I still had in the fridge.  Does anyone else get this?  I am sure there are others out there that would share my enthusiasm for these cookies.  You just need to taste them and you'll understand what all the fuss is about.  Right now I'm actually contemplating making these again with the blueberries that I now have in my fridge.  If only I didn't have 100 other things to do today.  Like editing, packing, groceries, laundry, library trip........

Here's how the recipe roughly goes....

After making the cookie batter, spoon it onto trays lined with parchment.  Press in 4 or 5 blueberries, spreading some batter over the blueberries.  (Don't worry too much about being perfect here.  I didn't.)

Bake and cool.  Whip up the blueberry icing.

Spread the icing on the BOTTOM of the cookies.  Allow the icing to harden.  Promise your children that they will be getting even better and their patience will pay off.

Whip up your chocolate glaze and spread on half the cookie.  Let harden and devour within a day!

Here's the official recipe from the brilliant and hilarious Joy the Baker.

Blueberry Black and White Cookies - adapted from Joy the Baker
makes 2 dozen (depends on how large you make your cookies.  I made them smaller than the original recipe.)

For the Cookies:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

about 1 cup fresh blueberries

With your stand mixer, fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed for one minute after each addition.  Beat in vanilla extract.

Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.  Starting and ending with the dry ingredients, add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet ingredients.   Ensure all the ingredients are combined by scraping down the sides and beating on a high speed for a few seconds.

With tablespoons, spoon a ball of cookie batter onto parchment lined baking sheets.  Spread the batter slightly with a butterknife.  Depending on how many cookies you want to make, cookies can be rounds about 2- 4 inches across.  Dot each dough circle with 4-6 blueberries (depending on the size of your cookie) then use the butterknife so gently, though not completely, brush some batter over the blueberries.  It doesn’t need to be completely covered or perfect.

Bake for about 15 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned on the bottom and spring back to touch on top.  Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

For the Blueberry Glaze:

small handful (about 20) fresh blueberries

juice of half a lemon

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

a splash of vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

In a medium sized bowl, mash the blueberries with a fork very well until the pump is pulverized and the blueberries have let off their pretty purple juices.  Add the lemon juice, corn syrup  and vanilla extract and stir.  Pour in the powdered sugar. Whisk until thoroughly combined.  If you’d like to thin the glaze out just a bit more, add just a touch of water.  Set aside until ready to glaze cookies.  If glaze top hardens a bit, just give it a good whisk before applying to the cookies

For the Chocolate Glaze:

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips of pieces

3 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon corn syrup

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave.  Stir in the corn syrup.  Set the glaze aside until ready to spread on the cookies.

To Glaze the Cookies:

Allow cookies to cook completely.  Use your fingers to brush any extra crumbs off the bottom of the cookies.  Glaze the entire bottom of the cookie with blueberry glaze.  Let set for about 30 minutes.  Once set, gently glaze half of the cookie with chocolate glaze.  Let set for another 30 minutes then wrap individually in plastic wrap.

These cookies are best eaten the day they are made.  Otherwise the baked in blueberries weep through the glaze a bit.  They taste great but might look a little strange.  Be sure to store any extra cookies in the fridge.